2: The Winners Creed 4 The Road Not Taken 5 Robert Frost The Man In the Glass 6 If 7 Rudyard Kipling Desiderata 8 If Ever There Was A Time 9 Striving 10 Robert William Service The Optimist Creed 11 The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee 12 | The Carrot, The Egg, and The Coffee Bean 14 Mary Sullivan My Pledge 16 Maria Shriver Little Eyes Are Watching 17 Attitude 18 Charles Swindoll Success 18 Ralph Waldo Emerson God's Promise 19 This Is The Beginning of a New Day 19 The Paradox of Our Age 20 Dr. Bob Moorehead The Prayer of a Sportsman 21 | 2 | Table of Contents

4: The General's Poem (The Winner's Creed) | If you think you're beaten, you are If you think you dare not, you don't If you like to win, but think you can't It's almost certain you won't If you think you'll lose, your lost For out in the world we find, Success begins with a person's will It's all in the state of mind If you think you're outclassed, you are You've got to think high to rise You've got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or swifter one, But sooner or later the one who wins Is the one who thinks he or she can | 4

5: The Road Not Taken | Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way. I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that made all the difference. | 5

6: The Man in the Glass | 6 | When you get what you want in your struggles for self And the world makes you king for a day, Just go to a mirror and look at yourself And see what that man has to say. For it isn't your father or mother or wife Whose judgment upon you must pass, The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life Is the one staring back from the glass. Some people might think you're a straight-shooting chum And call you a wonderful guy. But the man in the glass says you're only a bum If you can't look him straight in the eye. He's a fellow to please, never mind all the rest For he's with you clear to the end And you've passed your most dangerous test If the guy in the glass is your friend. You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years And get pats on the back as you pass But your final reward will be heartache and tears If you've cheated the man in the glass.

7: 7 | If | If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, not talk too wise; If you can dream- and not make dreams your master; If you can think- and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools; If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will in which says to them, "Hold on"; If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings-nor the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds worth of distance run- Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

8: Desiderata | GO PLACIDLY AMID THE NOISE & HASTE, & REMEMBER WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE IN SILENCE, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly & clearly; and listen to others, even the dull & ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud & aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain & bitter; for always there will be greater & lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for hight ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity & disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue & and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees & the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, & broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. | 8

9: If Ever There Was a Time | If there were ever a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, it is now. Not for any grand cause, necessarily- but for something that tugs at your heart, something that's your aspiration, something that's your dream. You owe it to yourself to make your days here count. Have fun. Dig deep. Dream big. Know, though, that things worth doing seldom come easy. There will be good days. And there will be bad days. There will be time when you want to turn around, pack it up, and call it quits. Those times tell you that you are pushing yourself, that you are not afraid to learn by trying. Persist. Because with an idea, determination, and the right tools, you can do great things. Let your instincts, your intellect, and your heart guide you. Trust. Believe in the incredible power of the human mind. Of doing something that makes a difference. Of working hard. Of laughing and hoping. Of lazy afternoons. Of lasting friends. Of all the things that will cross your path this year. The start of something new brings the hope of something great. Anything is possible. There is only one you. And you will pass this way only once. Do it right. | 9

10: Striving | Striving is life, yet life is striving; I fight to live; yet live to fight; The vital urge is in my driving, Yet I must drive with all my might: Each day a battle, and the fray Stoutly renewed the coming day I am myself- yet when I strive I build a self that's truer, higher; I keep my bit of God alive And forgive me in heroic fire: What if my goal I never gain- Better to toil than to attain. It is not what I do or make, It is the travail of my trying; The aim, the effort and the ache Is in the end my glorifying: Though triumph I may never see, The will to win is victory. | Striving is strength: with all that's in me I will not falter in the fray; And though no shining crown it win me, I'll fight unto my latest day: Strive on!- and though I win no place, Uphold the spirit of the race I peer from out the dusty plain; Dark falls, the mission bells are chiming As on to starry heights I strain; Despite the night up, up I plod To gain the golden meads of God. | 10

11: The Optimist Creed | Promise Yourself To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. | 11

12: The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee | When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the far effectively filling the empty space between the sand, The students laughed. | 12

13: "Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things-- your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. And the sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will have no room for the things that are important to you." "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple cups of coffee with a friend." | 13

14: The Carrot, The Egg, and The Coffee Bean | A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. The mother filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots. In the second she placed eggs. And the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. About twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them into a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she said, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did, and noted that they felt soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell she observed the hard-boiled egg inside. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "So, what's the point, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity- boiling water- but each reacted differently. | 14

15: The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid center. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its insides had become hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water... they had changed the water. "Which are you?" She asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Think of this: which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my outer shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water- the very circumstances that bring the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of the bean. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you instead of letting it change you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean? | 15

16: My Pledge | 1. I pledge to "show up" in my life as myself, not as an imitation of anyone else. 2. I pledge to avoid using the word "just" to describe myself. For example, I won't say, "I'm just a mother," "I'm just a student," or "I'm just an ordinary person." 3. I pledge to give myself ten minutes of silence and stillness every day to get in touch with my heart and here my own voice. 4. I pledge to use my voice to connect my dreams to my actions. 5. I pledge to use my voice to empower myself and others. 6. I pledge to serve my community at least once a year in a way that will benefit other people. 7. I pledge to ask myself, "Who am I? What do I believe in? What am I grateful for? What do I want my life to stand for?" 8. I pledge to sit down and write my own mission statement. 9. I pledge to live my own legacy. 10. I pledge to pass it on. | 16

17: Little Eyes Are Watching | There are little eyes upon you and they are watching night and day. There are little ears that quickly take in every word you say. There are little hands all eager to do anything you do; and a little boy who's dreaming of the day he'll be like you. You're the little fellow's idol; you're the wisest of the wise. In his little mind about you no suspicions ever rise. He believes in you devoutly, holds all you say and do; he will say and do, in your way when he's grown up just like you. There's a wide-eyed little fellow who believes you're always right; and his eyes are always opened, and he watches day and night. You are setting an example every day in all you do; for the little boy who's waiting to grow up just like you. | 17

18: Attitude | The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes. | Success | To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. | 18

19: God's Promise | God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, or sun without rain. But, He did promise strength for the day, Comfort for the tears, and light for the way. And for those who believe in His kingdom of love, He answers their faith With His peace from above. | This is the Beginning of a New Day | This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good, But what I do today is important Because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, Leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be gain and not loss; good and not evil; Success and not failure; in order that I shall not Regret the price I have paid for it. | 19

20: The Paradox of Our Age | The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; big men and small character; steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce; fancier houses but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete. | 20

21: Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent. Remember to say "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. | The Prayer of a Sportsman | Dear Lord, in the battle that goes on through life, I ask for a field that is fair, a chance that is equal to all in the strife, the courage to strive and to dare. If I should win, let it be by the code, with my faith and my honor held high. But if I should lose, let me stand by the road and cheer as the winners go by. | 21

22: Vigil | With an evening fire to give me warmth I stand Vigil on a distant hilltop Looking upon the nightly starlit sky Wondering what makes the stars shine so bright And the moon glow as though it was an angel I recollect as my fire burns; as it shoots its embers Into the dark sky While the moon still illuminates its beauty down to earth And nocturnal stars twinkle their heart out As though its their last shining moment To sparkle among the heavens With a quick glance to the sky I make a wish, wondering if it will come true As a shooting star zips across the nightly sky And into the depths of space Where many more wishes will be made Now my fire is dying As fleeting time passes by And I still gaze upon the illuminating sky Thinking what it is like to be a star To twinkle with the heavens My fire is now just a few burning coals Giving off what light it can And I still gaze at the sky with delight Knowing the sun will rise again With a new day to begin | 22

23: Just To Keep You Going... | Make it a point to do something everyday that you would not normally do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain. Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air, and you. Success is a ladder that cannot be climbed with your hands in your pockets A diamond is a piece of coal that stuck to its job. It's the mind that tells you when to give up. The miracle isn't that I finished. It's that I had the courage to start. Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. | 23

24: Universal Prayer | Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith. I trust in you: strengthen my trust. I love you: let me love you more and more. I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow. I worship you as my first beginning, I long for you as my last end, I praise you as my constant helper, And I call on you as my loving protector. Guide me by your wisdom, Correct me with your justice, Comfort me with your mercy, Protect me with your power. I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you; My words: to have you for their theme; My actions: to reflect my love for you; My sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory. I want to do what you ask of me: In the way you ask, For as long as you ask it, Because you ask it. | Lord, enlighten my understanding, Strengthen my will, Purify my heart, and make me holy. Help me to repent of my past sins And to resist temptation in the future. Help me to rise above my human weaknesses And to grow stronger as a Christian. Let me love you, my Lord and my God, And see myself as I really am: A pilgrim in this world, A Christian called to respect and love | 24

25: All whose lives I touch, Those under my authority, My friends and my enemies. Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, Greed by generosity, Apathy by fervor. Help me reach out toward others. Make me prudent in planning, Courageous in taking risks. Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity. Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer, Temperate in food and drink, Diligent in my work, Firm in my good intentions. | Let my conscience be clear, My conduct without fault, My speech blameless, My life well-ordered. Put me on guard against my human weaknesses. Let me cherish your love for me. Keep your law, And come at last to your salvation. Teach me to realize that this world is passing, That my true future is the happiness of heaven. That life on earth is short, And the life to come eternal. Help me to prepare for death With a proper fear of judgment, But with a greater trust in your goodness. Lead me safely through death To the endless joy of heaven. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. | 25

26: Conversations with God | Fear is the energy which contracts, closes down, draws in, runs, hides, hordes, harms. Love is the energy which expands, opens up, sends out, stays, reveals, shares, heals. Fear wraps our bodies in clothing, love allows us to stand naked. Fear clings to and clutches all that we have, love gives all that we have away. Fear holds close, love holds dear. Fear grasps, love lets go. Fear rankles, love soothes. Fear attacks, love amends. Perfect love is to feeling what perfect white is to color. Many think that white is the absence of color. It is not. It is the inclusion of all color. So, too, is love not the absence of emotion (hatred, anger, lust, jealousy, covetousness), but the summation of all feeling. It is the sum total, the everything. Harnessing your thoughts, exercising control over them is not as difficult as it might seem. It is all a matter of discipline. A question of intent. The first step is learning to monitor your thoughts; to think about what you are thinking about. When you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts- thoughts that negate your highest idea about a thing- think again! Do this literally, If you think you're in a doldrum, in a pickle, and no good can come of this, think again. You can train yourself to do this. (Look at how well you've trained yourself not to do it.) A true Master is not the one with the most students, but the one who creates the most Masters. A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but the one who creates the most leaders. | 26

27: Quotes | "I have learned that people with forget what you said and forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou "Spirit is fueled by the influence of the people and things around you." Scott Roberts "Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "Play hard, smart, and together!" Lauren Petrosky "Today I am inspired to go beyond the boundaries of my weaknesses, to challenge the walls of my limitations, and believe in endless possibilities." "You really can change the world if you care enough." "Go where the energy makes your heart palpitate and your spirit sing, for there you will find fulfillment." "You have the power to make happiness a way of life instead of an occasional experience." "Live in harmony with nature seasons awaken us to springs renewal, fall's cozy slowness, winter's savory rest, and summer's exuberance. Thus we are reminded to honor each season's energies for the wisdom they hold." | 27

28: Paid In Full | A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As graduation day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he shouted at his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house. Many years passed and the young man had become very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father now was getting old, and thought perhaps he should go see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined the verse, Matt. 7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?" | 28

29: As he read those words, a key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had wanted. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words "PAID IN FULL." How many times do we miss God's blessings because we can't see past our own desires? | Success | Success is speaking words of praise, In cheering other people's ways. In doing just the best you can, With every task and every plan. It's silence when your speech would hurt, Politeness when your neighbor's curt. It's deafness when the scandal flows, And sympathy with others' woes. It's loyalty when duty calls, It's courage when disaster falls. It's practice when the hours are long, It's found in laughter and in song. It's in the silent time of prayer, In happiness and in despair. In all of life and nothing less, We find the thing we call success. | 29

30: The Starfish Story | Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean. He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?" The young man paused, looked up, and replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean." "I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man. To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die." Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!" At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!" | 30

31: The Bridge Builder | An old man, going a lone highway, Came, at the evening, cold and gray, To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide, ...Through which was flowing a sullen tide. The old man crossed in the twilight dim; The sullen stream had no fear for him; But he turned, when safe on the other side, And built a bridge to span the tide. "Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near, "You are wasting strength with building here; You journey will end with the ending day; You never again will pass this way; You've crossed the chasm, deep, and wide- Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?" The builder lifted his old gray head: "Good friend, in the path I have come," he said, "There followeth after me today, A youth, whose feet must pass this way. This chasm, that has been naught to me, To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be. He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building this bridge for him. | 31

32: Spreading Your Light How You Affect Others Daily | As the pace and fullness of modern life serve to isolate us from one another, the contact we do share becomes vastly more significant. We unconsciously absorb each other's energy, adopting the temperament of those with whom we share close quarters, and find ourselves changed after the briefest encounters. Everything we do or say has the potential to affect not only the individuals we live, work, and play with but also those we've just met. Though we may never know the impact we have had or the scope of our influence, accepting and understanding that our attitudes and choices will affect others can help us remember to conduct ourselves with grace at all times. When we seek always to be friendly, helpful, and responsive, we effortlessly create an atmosphere around ourselves that is both uplifting and inspiring. Most people rarely give thought to the effect they have had or will have on others. When we take a few moments to contemplate how our individual modes of being affect the people we spend time with each day, we come one step closer to seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. By asking ourselves whether those we encounter walk away feeling appreciated, respected, and liked, we can heighten our awareness of the effect we ultimately have. Something as simple as a smile given freely can temporarily brighten a person's entire world. Our value-driven conduct may inspire others to consider whether their own lives are reflective of their values. A word of advice can help others see life in an entirely new fashion. And small gestures of kindness can even prove to those embittered by the world that goodness still exists. By simply being ourselves, we influence other's lives in both subtle and life-altering ways. | 32

33: To ensure that the effect we have is positive, we must strive to stay true to ourselves while realizing that it is the demeanor we project and not the quality of our wondrous inner landscapes that people see. Thus, as we interact with others, how we behave can be as important as who we are. If we project our passion for life, our warmth, and our tolerance in our facial features, voice, and choice of words, every person who enters our circle of influence will leave our presence feeling peace with themselves and with us. You never know whose life you are affecting, big or small. Ty to remember this as you go out into the world each day. | Faith, Trust, and Love Equals Devotion | Faith in a higher being, Faith is one's self, faith in the mission. Faith is what gives you hope. Trust in others. Trust is built between each other and is an ongoing process. We must give trust but not blindly; it must have a dash of common sense mixed in. Trust gives way to love. Love is essential. Love is like air, we need it to live. Love so powerful is when you put someone or something before yourself and your only desire is to care for them and keep them safe. When and only you have all three can you have devotion. Devotion to a cause, to a mission, to a purpose, to a goal or a dream. Devotion is passion. Devotion can hold a team together, carry you through difficult times and help you weather the storm. Devotion is something you believe builds character within yourself. | 33

34: Anyway | People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank; People may cheat on you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. | If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people with often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway You see, in the final analysis, It is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway. | 34

35: How to Make a Beautiful Life | Love yourself. Make peace with who you are And where you are at this moment in time. Listen to your heart. If you can't hear what it's saying, In this noisy world, make time for yourself. Enjoy your own company. Let your mind wander among the stars. Try. Take chances. Make mistakes. Life can be messy and confusing at times, But it's also full of surprises. The next rock in your path might be a stepping stone. Be happy. When you don't have what you want, want what you have. Make do. That's a well-kept secret of contentment. There aren't any shortcuts to tomorrow. You have to make your own way. To know where you're going is only part of it, You need to know where you've been too. And if you ever get lost, don't worry. The people who love you will find you. Count on it. Life isn't days and years. It's what you do with the time. And all the goodness and grace that's inside of you. Make a beautiful life... The kind of life you deserve. | 35

36: A Creed to Live By | Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us are special. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life on day at a time. Don't give up when you still have something to give, nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is a fragile thread that binds each of us to each other. Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love; The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; And the best way to keep love is to give it wings. Don't dismiss your dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope; To be without hope is to be without purpose. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. | 36

37: To Risk | To laugh is to risk appearing a fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement. To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return, To live is to risk dying, To hope is to risk despair, To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow, or live. Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom. Only a person who risks is free. The pessimist complains about the wind; The optimist expects it to change; The realist adjusts the sails. | 37

38: "Don't We All?" | I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered" times. "I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop, but he didn't look like he could have money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty car," he said. He was ragged, but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm. I said, "Thanks," and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came. As silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice. "Do you need any help?" I asked. He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget. We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched, grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me. "Don't we all?" he said. I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun. Don't we all? | 38

39: I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see. Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves. Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "Go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help." Don't we all? | 39

40: The Emperor's Seed | An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you." The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued: "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!" One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seed and plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends; however, he just kept waiting for his seed to grow, A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But his mother asked him to be honest about what happened, Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. | 40

41: When Ling arrived, he was amazed by the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kids laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey, nice try." When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown." said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!" When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked him his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers." "When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!" | 41

42: Footprints | I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord. When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest time of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma. "Lord, you told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You leave me." He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints it was then that I carried you. | 42

43: Live Your Dash | I read of a man who stood to speak At the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone From beginning to end. He noted that the first came the date of her birth And spoke the following date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all Was the dash between those years. For that dash represents all the time That she spent alive on earth And now only those who loved her Know what that little line is worth. For it matters not, how much we own, The cars, the house, the cash, What matters most is how we live and love And how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard; Are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left That can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough To consider what's true and real And always try to understand The way other people feel. | And be less quick to anger And show appreciation more And love the people in our lives Like we've never loved before. If we treat each other with respect And more often wear a smile, Remembering that this special dash Might only last a little while So when your eulogy is being read with your life's Actions to rehash Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent your dash? | 43